Japan wants in on nuclear accident compensation pact. Prompted by the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, Japan has decided to join an international convention that will set a global uniform standard for compensating victims of such nuclear disasters, sources said. [News Source]

Raw milk remains popular despite warnings, 38 ill in latest outbreak on East Coast. An outbreak of bacterial infections on the East Coast illustrates the popularity of raw, unpasteurized milk despite strong warnings from public health officials about the potential danger. [News Source]

Breastfeeding tied to stronger lungs, less asthma. Kids who were breastfed as babies may have better lung function, and a lower risk of asthma, than those who were formula-fed, two new reports suggest. [News Source]

Texas drought forces a town to sip from a truck. Spicewood Beach is one of the first four subdivisions, made up of about 1,100 people, in drought-stricken Burnet County to run so low on water that it had to be hauled in by truck. [News Source]

Scientists win historic battle over oilsands monitoring. While the Canadian and provincial governments at first proposed that a plan to implement monitoring of oilsands extraction be controlled by the government and conducted, in part, by an industry-financed operation, a group of scientists insisted that the monitoring be independent and include aboriginal participation. The scientists prevailed. [News Source]

Texas drought forces a town to sip from a truck. This drought-stricken place in the scenic hills outside Austin-- Spicewood Beech-- has been forced to bring in water by truck from more than 10 miles away because its sole well came close to running out of water. [News Source]

Vitamins food for thought, but not essential The message that a balanced diet comes first may be going unheeded. [News Source]

Majority of geriatric patients in German rehabilitation hospital have vitamin D deficiency The great majority of geriatric patients in a German rehabilitation hospital were found to have vitamin D deficiency. Stefan Schilling presents his study results in this week's issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. [News Source]

Poor pregnant women missing out on free vitamin D, health officials claim Senior government health advisers say takeup of vitamin supplements under NHS Healthy Start scheme is low GPs, midwives and health service officials have been told to ensure pregnant women and those with young children in low-income families know of their right to free vitamin D supplements. Takeup of vitamins under the NHS's Healthy Start scheme is low, according to Sally Davies, the UK ... [News Source]

Vitamin D deficiency in geriatric patients ( Deutsches Aerzteblatt International ) The great majority of geriatric patients in a German rehabilitation hospital were found to have vitamin D deficiency. Stefan Schilling presents his study results in this week's issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. [News Source]

Cadmium pollution exposes lax regulations. The latest incident in the city of Hechi, an "unprecedented" cadmium contamination, is certainly not an isolated case. [News Source]

High levels of mercury found in Minnesota’s North Shore babies. One in 10 babies along Minnesota's North Shore are born with unhealthy levels of mercury in their bodies, according to a new report on contamination around Lake Superior, the first to look for the pollutant in the blood of U.S. infants. [News Source]